Note: This article contains affiliate links (hyperlinks, widgets, or through images), which means I receive compensation if you purchase a product through them. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will add value to my readers. Visit my disclosure page for more information.
Family adventures are the perfect way for you and your loved ones to make amazing memories together. You know before everybody grows up, has their own families and goes on adventures of their own. Whether you’re going on a short camping trip or a long-term safari, the ideas here can help you. Think that traveling with all kids is hard? Think again. Think you have to take everything and the kitchen sink to have a good time? Not the case!
You Can Travel With Your Newborn Too
Most people have a mini heart attack when they think of taking their newborn on a plane. I promise they’re not going to burst into a ball of flames if you do! You can boat with them, hike with them, and have just as much fun with them as you’d like to. Babies will not break or fall apart on your adventures. You don’t have to stay constantly at home to enjoy your baby’s precious early years.
This is a great time to explore the world as a family and create some memories to tell them about when they grow up. Don’t worry about feeding your little one. You can breastfeed in a boat or a mountain just as you would on your bed or sofa at home.
You might think what’s the point if you can’t get any sleep, but you wouldn’t have gotten any sleep at home anyway. May as well be sleepless in a new and exciting location, right?
If you’re frightened of traveling with your baby, try starting off with a weekend trip and go from there. You’ll soon see that there’s no reason to be scared!
Toddlers Love The Outdoors
Let’s face it, being stuck indoors with your toddler isn’t a healthy situation for either of you. Toddlers love to be outside throwing leaves and playing in puddles. It’s free to get outside and have fun, so don’t think that you have to spend a fortune on your adventure. Even packing a picnic and walking to the park will be a wonderful adventure for a toddler.
Teens Will Bring A Few Challenges
You shouldn’t stress too much about your teens; after all, they’re going to bring a few challenges with them wherever you may go. They’re likely going to be upset about missing friends and not being able to use social media as much.
Even if they do have a bad attitude, going on a trip will help them to broaden their horizons and perhaps change their perspective a little. It can also help them to switch off from the internet. You’ll regret it if you don’t spend time with them now before they grow up and want to go on trips with friends. Spending quality time with them now can help to create even stronger bonds for the future.
You Probably Don’t Need Half Of What You’ve Packed
Although you may be traveling with your whole family, you probably don’t need all of the stuff you’ve packed. You don’t need to take every single kid’s toy and beauty product to look great and have fun. Remember that this adventure is about being together and a carefree attitude. So ditch everything you can to free up space and reduce stress.
You’ll be surprised at how your kids can improvise when they’re on a trip. It forces them to use their imaginations instead of electronics. That’s always a plus!
Invest In Lightweight Packing Equipment
Lightweight packing equipment can save money and time. Packing cubes are a great option. They are so small and lightweight and often allow you to fit more into your bags. You can even purchase waterproof cubes!
Family Entertainment
Although you don’t want to take every single thing from home, taking a little family entertainment can make some great fun in the evenings. How about a deck of playing cards? This is an inexpensive item that can bring you and your family hours of fun and bonding time, especially if you’re camping.
After a day where you’ve been exploring and taking on all kinds of physical activities, playing cards is a great way to wind down. All you need to do is have a few family-friendly card games in mind.
Reliable Transport
If you’re going to be driving, you’re going to need reliable family transport to help get you there. You could take your family car, or rent a car out depending on your needs. West County Volvo recommends checking out a place with an extensive inventory and matching the car to the one that best suits your needs.
If you’re camping off-road, for example, you’ll need a different car than a family who was simply driving to the airport. If you do decide to take your own vehicle, make sure you perform all of the appropriate checks and stock up on things you might need. Water and healthy snacks, not to mention emergency phone numbers are a great start.
Take The Right Gadgets With You
Although you don’t want to weigh down your trip with too many gadgets, taking the right gadgets will help you stay connected. You can easily stay connected with your loved ones by taking a smartphone. There are even apps that can help you to find a place to eat or stay.
If you’re going on a long-term trip, taking a laptop can be great for storing, sharing, and editing photos. If you take tablets for kids, limit their time on them. Maybe have rules that you stick to, such as only letting them use them on long car rides.
Let Your Kids Take On New Challenges
Why not visit somewhere you can all enjoy a new challenge? Heading to a place where you can all learn new skills will help boost confidence. This is a great character building exercise, so why not go camping and give your kids responsibilities, or even skiing so they can learn something new?
These Adventures Will Stay With Them Forever
We shouldn’t have to tell you just how quickly kids grow up. It’ll pass by in the blink of an eye, and if you don’t make the most of it, you can bet that you’ll regret it. Make sure you aim to expose them to different situations, people, and places so that they have an open mind and a wide view of the world as they grow.
You’ll all share strong memories of your family trips, and this will give you something to reminisce and bond over for years to come. Sleeping under the stars, cycling in a foreign country, and hiking up a mountain are all amazing memories. However, so is going on a road trip, exploring a new city, or simply going to the park for a picnic. Make sure you do your best to document these trips by taking pictures, keeping scrapbooks, making videos, and even writing family diary entries. Encouraging your kids to keep a diary of their trips will make something great, and likely hysterical for you all to look back on in the future.
Krystle Cook – the creator of Home Jobs by MOM – put her psychology degree on a shelf and dived into a pile of diapers and dishes instead. She is a wife and mother to two rambunctious boys, sweating it out in her Texas hometown. She loves cooking, DIY home projects, and family fun activities.
The Must-Have Checklist for Traveling Out of the Country